Grass-collector for lawn-mowers.



Np$1815,242.' lATnNtr-l'm MAR. 13, LA FAYLTTE WILDERMUTH.

, GRA-ss COLLECTOR POR LAWN MOWERS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAE-6, 1905.

IgM/iwi@ Inventor- Witnesses Attoneys 4 UNITED sTATns Specification of Letters Patent.

PATENT OFFIOE 1 LA FAYETTE wiLDERMUTH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

GRASS-COLLECTOR FOR LAWN-NIOWERSt- Patented VMaren 1 3; 190e.

Application led March 6,1906. Serial No. 248,673.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: Be it'known that I, LA FAYETTE WILDER MUTH, a citizen ofthe United States, residin atColumbus, in the county of Franklin an' State of Ohio, have-invented a new and useful Grass-Collector for Lawn-Mowers, ofY which the following is a specification.

This invention relates Y to grass collectors or catchers for lawn-mowers, and has for its principal object to provide a grass-receptacle of simple and economical construction which may be readily attached to the Aframe of lawn-mowers ofthe ordinary type and will vzo serve as a receptacle forthe vcollection of the grass during the mowing operation. A further object ofthe invention is to pro,- vide a novel form of Jframe in which the members are so arranged and constructed as to reduce to a minimum the vibration and shaking of the lower Yframe and to avoid the escape of fine grass from the frontof the receptacle. 2

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a novel form of grass-catcher having a bottom portion formed of overlapped sheets Vto permit variations in the width of such bottom to suit different classes of lawnyafter fully described, illustrated in the accomp anying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the'advantages of the invention.

. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of a grass-collectingdevice constructed in accordance with 'the vpartly in section, the iiexible back and sides eing removed. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view of a portion of the upper and llower frames at the point where the two are connected. Fig. iis a similar view'showing a l5 5 oi Fig. 2. on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, showing also the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same,

slight modiiication of the `construction of the Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view ofthe front ofthe collecting device on the line Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view lower portion of one oi the iiexible side members o the rece tacle. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view o a portion ofthe front ofthe metallic bottom plates.

Similar numerals of reference are em-' ployed to indicate corresponding arts throughout the several iigu'res of the raw- The Ageneral frame includes an upper member 10 anda lower member 11. member is formed of a piece of stiff wire or vsimilar material bent to form an upper'rear bar 12, thence at right angles to form side members 13, and thence downwardly to form the iront side bars 14. The wire isthence bent inwardly, forming a pair. of arallel arms 15, which extend within the coi s of a helical tension-spring 16, located at the front of the collector. To this upper Aframe is 4connected asuspension member 17 for engagement with The upperthe handle of the machine. Thetlower frame 'A is also formed of wire and is bent to form a rear bar 20 thence at right angles to form a pair Vof side bars l21, and at the iront of the machine these side bars are turned to form a single coil or eye 22, which may be formed by turning the wire up to locate the eye above the general plane ofthe side bars or down to arrange the eye below the side bars, as shown in Fig. 4. -The wire is thence continued forward at an obtuse angle to the planes of the arms 21, forming extensions 25, the termi nals of which are bent to form hooks or trunnions 26, which engage with suitable slots or openingsformed in the frame of the lawnmower. The front bars 15 of the' upper frame extend inward through the eyes or coils 22, and the ends of the helical coill 16 are connected to the vertical front bars 1,4 of the upper frame, so that said bars are yieldiably pressed toward each other, -the "cjonstruction being such that said side vbars may be spread to permit .the engagement of the trunnions 26 withtheframe of the machine, and as the spring retracts the said bars are IOO again drawn toward each other, and the collecting device is heldin proper position.

The bottom of the receptacle is formed of a plurality of pieces of sheet metal 27 ,the rear edges and sides of which are bent around the corresponding members of thelower frame,

while the adjacent edges of the sheet overlap, and thus permit spreading of the side members of the frame to a considerable extent without separating the sheets.

In order to hold the bottom properly in position, a brace or braces 29 may be employed. Each brace is in the form of a strip of wire, having its rear end coiled over the rear bar of the lower frame, while the forward end of the brace is curved upward and over the helical spring 16, the bar forming an approximately rigid support for the bottom and preventing sagging of the central portion of such bottom and the formation of a space below the spring through which the grass could escape.

In devices of this class or ordinarily constructed the bottom, usually formed of textile material, is arranged to pass over or partly over the top of the spring 16, and there isnothing to prevent the escape of line grass from the front of the receptacle. In the present instance the bottom extends to a point under and to the rear of the spring, and the latter thus forms a guard which will prevent the grass falling from the front of the receptacle. The retention of the grass may be further insured by bending the front edge of the sheet metal upward, as shown in Fig. 5, the front edges of the sheets being turned over or flanged in such manner as to interlock and mutually support each other at the overlapping point, as shown in Fig. 7.

The back and sides of receptacles of this class are usually formed of textile material, and in order to simplify the construction the lower edge of the sheet of material is passed around the back and side members of the lower frame before the edges of the metallic sheets are coiled therearound, so that such coiled or turned edges of the metallic sheets serve to firmly hold the textile material in proper position. The upper edge Aof the textile strip may be connected to the upper frame members by stitching or otherwise.

It is obvious that the vertical side and rear members of the receptacle may be formed of sheet metal and that the bottom may be formed of textile or similar imaterial, if desired; but as a rule the sheet-metal bottom is found preferable, owing to its greater rigidity and wearing qualities.

By forming the extended trunnion members on the lower frame the latter will be held more securely in place on the frame of the lawn-mower and the vertical play of the bottom of the receptacle will be limited, so that the danger of accidental discharge of the grass will be reduced to a minimum.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a grass-collector for lawn-mowers, a lower frame having side members coiled to form eyes at points near their front ends, and thence extended forward and bent to form trunnion members for engagement with the frame"V of 'the lawn-mower, an upper frame bent to form rear, side and vertical front members, the ends of the upper frame heilig bent into parallel relation and extending through said eyes, and a helical tensionspring coiled around said parallel members and having its opposite ends connected to the vertical portions of the upper frame.

2. In a grass-collector for lawn-mowers, upper and lower frame members, a helical tension-spring arranged at the lower forward edge of the collector and connecting the side members of the frame, and a bottom-section having its forward edge extending under said spring.

3. In a grass-collector for lawn-mowers, a frame, side, rear and bottom members supported thereby, a coiled spring arranged above the lower forward edge of the collector, and connecting the side members, said spring forming a front guard to prevent the escape of material from the collector.

4. In a grass-collector for lawn-mowers, a distensible frame, rear, side and bottom members carried thereby, and a coiled spring having its opposite ends connected to the side vmembers of the frame and arranged immediately above the forward edge of the bottom and forming a guard to prevent escape of inaterial from the receptacle.

5. In a grass-collector for lawn-mowers, a distensible frame, side and rear members carried thereby, a coiled spring connecting the opposite side members at the front of the frame, and a sheet-metal bottom having its front edge below the spring, said edge being flanged and bent upward to prevent the escape of grass between the bottom and the spring.

6. In a grass-collector for lawn-lnowers, a distensible frame, side and rear members carried thereby, and a bottom member formed of a plurality of sheets of metal, the outer edges of which are secured to the frame, and the inner edges of the sheets overlapping, the front edges of both sheets being provided with inturned flanges, said flanges interlitting and serving to prevent independent vertical play of the sheets.

7. In a grass-collector for lawn-mowers, a distensible frame, side and rear members supported by the frame, a bottom member formed of a plurality of overlapping plates, the outer and rear edges of which are secured to the frame, the front edges of the sheets being provided with inturned flanges, said flanges interfitting and preventing independent vertical play of the sheets.

8. In a grass-collector for lawn-mowers, a frame, side and rear members carried thereby, a bottom member formed of a plurality of overlapping sheets, the outer edges of which are secured to the frame, and the front edges of which are provided with interlitting flanges, a coiled spring connected to the op- IOO IIO

posite side members, and a brace extending In testimony that I claim the foregoing as under the bottom and having one end oonmy oWnI have hereto affixed my signature in neoted to the rear portionof the frame and the presence of two Witnesses.

its opposite vend being bent over the front LA FAYETTE WILDERMUTH.

5 edges of the overlapping sheets and the spring Witnesses t for retaining said spring in proper relative FLORENCE BELL, position with respect to the bottom member. FRANKLIN RUBRECET. 

